


We Chose Them

by Writingwife83



Series: He Finally Understands [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Episode: s03e03 His Last Vow, F/M, Light Angst, Mention of Sherlolly, john and molly brotp, mention of warstan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 04:11:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17635787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingwife83/pseuds/Writingwife83
Summary: John pops into a pub for a lonely drink and is surprised by who he happens to run into. It’s not often he and Molly talk without a certain someone else around, and the conversation between them opens John’s mind to realizations he hadn’t previously reached.





	We Chose Them

**Author's Note:**

> I seem to be in a pattern of writing one shots where things start to dawn on John lol. It’s fun though! A different angle for looking at sherlolly when it’s through another character’s eyes. Hope you guys enjoy this one. ;)  
> Big thanks to Lexie because she helped me tweak a few things in here!

John pushed through the door, escaping the cooler night air and the people hanging around the entrance smoking outside. He made his way through the crowds inside and over to the bar to order a drink, scanning the place as he did to try and spot an empty table. He set his sights on a possible spot near a back corner, hoping to get there in time. 

Upon receiving his drink and quickly paying, he moved through the crowd to his goal point. As he got closer though, he realized there was someone else already standing at the little table. At the first sign of another person, he nearly turned and walked swiftly away. But then they made eye contact.

“Molly?”

The brown ponytailed head that had been resting in her delicate hand shot up at once, and a surprised but pleasant smile grew on her lips. 

“John, hi!”

He set his pint down on the table across from her, out of a desire to avoid yelling if nothing else. He’d move again if it turned out she was here with someone, or maybe meeting someone. But he thought it a little unlikely since the breakup with Tom had been, oh, probably no more than two or three weeks before. 

“Funny seeing you-“ they both started, only to laugh at themselves.

John couldn’t help thinking it felt strange being here with Molly...without Sherlock. How rare that he’d chat with her without the detective looming beside both of them, eager to work or experiment or something. It was as if they were both suddenly transported to another dimension, so far away from their usual lives and interactions.

“I see you’re on your own tonight,” Molly stated, fingers toying with the base on her glass of red wine, though she also glanced around as inconspicuous as possible. 

“I am...Sherlock’s not with me,” John confirmed. He imagined that was what she was wondering but not exactly saying. “I assume he’s better now he’s back at Baker Street.”

She finished a drink of wine, quickly replying. “Haven’t you seen him?” 

He shrugged. “Not much, to be honest. I’m sort of on my own a lot these days.”

“I know the feeling,” she added softly.

“Yeah sorry about that, by the way,” John finally said. “You and Tom, I mean.”

Molly nodded, giving him a tight smile. “Thanks.”

“He seemed a...nice bloke.” It occurred to him there was plenty of his opinions which he couldn’t voice when it came to Tom. He tried for a touch of humor instead. “Though I dunno, maybe he wasn’t and it’s good riddance.”

She laughed lightly. “No no, he was. He was nice. It’s just...it’s better this way, really.”

“Doesn’t make it easy though,” John said, unable to filter out a touch of bitterness in the statement. 

There was a rather noticeable hesitation before Molly cautiously asked, “So, how’s Mary and the baby?”

John pursed his lips for a moment, took a swig of beer, then smiled as best he could. “They’re doing fine.”

“And...how about you?”

John studied her expression while taking another drink, and by the time he set it down he let out a soft chuckle. “Of course, you know.”

Molly flushed instantly, more than what the wine was responsible for, beginning to stutter. 

“It’s fine, I don’t suppose I mind,” John quickly interrupted. “So you saw Sherlock this week then?”

It was her turn to take a sip then, and it was just drawn out enough for John to release a little sigh of realization.

“No you didn’t. You didn’t see Sherlock this week. You saw him...last week. Because that’s when he was shot and in hospital, and that’s when he somehow managed to escape and create an elaborate and dramatic setup that caused everything I know and love to crumble before my eyes.” He shook his head, his hand squeezing into a fist but loosening it quickly. “It did seem a lot of work for him on his own, in that state. Should have known.”

Molly listened, chewing her lip a little nervously. “It’s just, he was still so poorly but he was determined to do it, and I thought that at least if I helped him it might lessen the chance of-“

“You don’t have to explain yourself, Molly, honestly,” John cut in gently. “I’m not angry with you. Plenty of other things to keep me occupied in that respect.”

He drew a long slow breath before speaking again, a bit of wonder in his voice. “They’re awfully good at driving us mad, aren’t they?”

_ They _ . It was funny, John realized. Because here he was with his marriage in shambles, and she with her recent broken engagement. And yet when he said “they” he didn’t mean Mary and Tom. He meant Mary and  _ Sherlock _ . And what was even more interesting was that she had no trouble following.

“They are,” Molly agreed softly, looking straight ahead at nothing in particular. “I imagine they always will drive us mad, in one way or another. In a way...I  _ hope _ they always do. But I suppose that’s part of my problem, isn’t it?”

John turned, watching and listening to her with interest, as he wasn’t often privy to these kind of thoughts from the mysterious mind of Molly Hooper.

She picked up her wine glass, tilting it upward to finish the last gulp before setting it down and giving him a brief smile. “Sorry. I know you didn’t come here to listen to this.”

“No, it’s ok,” he assured her quite sincerely. “I think...I think you’re right. Maybe that’s your problem, but it’s mine too in a way. It’s been hard for me to admit but I think I’m as much an addict as Sherlock is. I say I want a different life; a quiet, normal life. And yet I keep choosing the opposite. Over, and over, and over again, and I can’t stop.”

Molly smiled, a very slight quiver in her lip as she did. “I understand,” she whispered.

John nodded slowly, suddenly feeling a far deeper friendship and connection to this woman than he ever imagined he’d share with her. They were much more alike than had ever occurred to him before, which made him feel both closer to Molly, and also a little sorry for her. All things considered, his stomach flipped anxiously for a split second, wondering what fate held in store for each of them.

“Yeah,” he replied, returning her complex little smile. “I know you do.”


End file.
